7.1.2 Managing a Long Term Program

Page last updated: 2012

Each of the GP Super Clinics has a designated use period of 20 years from the date of commencement of operations. This requires a commitment by the Australian Government to the management of the GP Super Clinics Program for 20 years from the date of the commencement of the provision of services of the last of the GP Super Clinics to be established. Managing this program will necessitate monitoring how the activities of each of the GP Super Clinics contribute to achieving the GP Super Clinics Program objectives over this long-term period.

Reporting occurs through completion and submission of an annual plan and reporting templates by the GP Super Clinics to the Department of Health and Ageing at two, four and 12 monthly intervals. In their initial stages, these templates have been set up to provide cumulative reports of activity and progress towards achieving the GP Super Clinics Program objectives. This monitoring activity will gain greater scale and complexity as more GP Super Clinics become operational placing significant demands on GP Super Clinics staff and those in the GP Super Clinics Branch.

Reliance on template-based reporting is inefficient and this inefficiency will increase once all GP Super Clinics are operational. In addition, without handling by Department of Health and Ageing staff, the template-based reporting does not have the potential for providing selective or indeed overview reports. Alternative reporting mechanisms, such as those offered by internet data bases for example, offer much more efficient options for reporting for GP Super Clinics Program Directors and Department of Health and Ageing staff more broadly, and importantly, for analysis of data over time. There has been some development of key performance indicators which are currently under consideration for application across the GP Super Clinics Program.

The current funding agreement provides contingencies to ensure GP Super Clinics are providing services as intended under the operational plan. The operational plan is required to detail the proposed operations and details how these will meet the GP Super Clinics Program objectives throughout the Designated Use Period. The funding agreement includes options for repayment of funds or step-in rights of the Commonwealth in circumstances where the GP Super Clinics are not providing services in line with the operational plan.